I can not find any information on making Whiskey. I need to freeze distil it. As I have limited funds.

[passedpawn]

Good eye! It is flattened 3/8" copper tubing
The doubler works, seemed to increase the abv I was getting but I only did very limited testing. If I were to run it like that I would probably use a slightly larger flask.

Here is a picture of the rudimentary clamp I hammered out. The ends join in kind of a hasp like a safety pin, I add small binder clips between the loops to help it grip the flasks. I think I stuck a bit of paper towel in between the copper and glass to improve the fit. Crude but it gets the job done and the price was right.

View attachment 752413

THAT is yet another reason why you're awesome LtCol Blake.

 

[kmmuellr]

Awesome rig. It definitely gives me some ideas!

Glad to hear you're not putting 12 gal through that! I didn't figure so, but had to ask.

K

 

[Homebrew Harry]

Yeah, I know it can ruin a copper pot. Thank for the warn. How were you measuring the head temp as mentioned in your earlier post. Thanks

Oh crap. I looked at the pic again. Thanks for not giving me the hell I deserve on that one, Jay.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I use ceramic boil enhancers to prevent surge boiling, this is especially important when using a smaller vessel. I used to just drop a handful in loose, but I got tired of having to sift them out from spent botanicals. I saw somewhere the idea of stringing them together like beads on flexible wire, but I needed to be able to drop them down the narrow neck of an erlenmeyer. My solution was to thread them onto short lengths of stainless steel wire, then join them with loops into a chain of sorts. This has been much easier to use and I no longer worry about losing any of them down the drain.

 

[yaakov]

If you want to experiment with distillation, you can get started for way under 50 bucks. All you need is a hot plate with adjustable output, an erlenmeyer flask or some other vessel that is heat resistant and has a lid or stopper of some sort, a coil of refrigerator copper tubing and a computer fan. A digital thermometer is optional but helpful in determining when to stop collecting. This shot shows a 2L flask filled with neutral diluted down to 35% and gin botanicals. For initial runs I use a 5L flask, then use smaller 2 or 3L flasks for spirit runs. We made a lot of gin scented hand sanitizer to get us through the shortage last year.

View attachment 742015

Intelligent….truly….

 

[yaakov]

What was cool and totally unexpected was watching the boiler suddenly suck back all of the contents of the doubler shortly after I turned off the heat. Scary for a second until I realized what was happening. After that I would be very careful adding any solids to the doubler for fear that something might plug the tubing and cause the boiler flask to implode. Please do keep this in mind.

A saddle valve, or such, between the boiler and the thumper would solve that problem instantly upon opening it up.

 

[Jayjay1976]

A saddle valve, or such, between the boiler and the thumper would solve that problem instantly upon opening it up.

I just pull the thermometer out when shutting it down.

 

[yaakov]

I just pull the thermometer out when shutting it down.

Right on!

 

[Toxxyc]

If you want to experiment with distillation, you can get started for way under 50 bucks. All you need is a hot plate with adjustable output, an erlenmeyer flask or some other vessel that is heat resistant and has a lid or stopper of some sort, a coil of refrigerator copper tubing and a computer fan. A digital thermometer is optional but helpful in determining when to stop collecting. This shot shows a 2L flask filled with neutral diluted down to 35% and gin botanicals. For initial runs I use a 5L flask, then use smaller 2 or 3L flasks for spirit runs. We made a lot of gin scented hand sanitizer to get us through the shortage last year.

View attachment 742015

Thing is, my still makes me look like a hillbilly when I get visitors. That thing will have them calling the cops on the new meth factory

 

[bwible]

Thing is, my still makes me look like a hillbilly when I get visitors. That thing will have them calling the cops on the new meth factory

So you can’t store it in a spare closet or put it away in a box or a plastic tub or something when you’re not using it? It’s not an appliance like a toaster or a coffee maker meant to be left out permanently.

 

[Miraculix]

It's a silicone bung with holes in it for the copper tubing and the thermometer.


It is an $8 coil of copper tubing from DIY store, I only used about half of it. No particular length, I was just experimenting and this looked about right. Lucky for me the coil and computer fan provide plenty of cooling power. I adjust the heat input by touching the coils; for slow runs only the top two are too hot to touch, for stripping runs only the bottom two stay cool enough to touch. As the run progresses I dial up the heat and check the coils as a guide.


No, I use a bigger setup for large batches and making neutral. This is for small batch, recipe testing, and running 40% neutral + botanicals for gin or other flavored stuff. I seriously wouldn't part with this thing for less than a few hundred bucks, and I'd just turn around and build a fancier version of it. It produces really excellent flavors and with the 3L flask I can produce two bottles of gin per run.

Here it is with a doubler, just testing it out.
View attachment 752319

Only PITA I guess is that I have to clean the coil periodically or I get a bit of green distillate. I use a tiny fountain pump and circulate hot vinegar solution. Stainless would be ideal but it would need a longer coil to work as efficiently as copper.

Be careful with that mate, sounds like you might be leaking small amounts of copper from the pipe into the spirit every time you use it. Copper is toxic and it accumulates within the body tissue. This won't give you instant problems but might give them on the long run, after a year or two... Or ten. That's the timeframe where it's almost impossible to pinpoint the reason for the problems. I'd change to stainless, wouldn't want to poison someone slowly.

 

[yaakov]

So you can’t store it in a spare closet or put it away in a box or a plastic tub or something when you’re not using it? It’s not an appliance like a toaster or a coffee maker meant to be left out permanently.

Lolol

 

[Toxxyc]

So you can’t store it in a spare closet or put it away in a box or a plastic tub or something when you’re not using it? It’s not an appliance like a toaster or a coffee maker meant to be left out permanently.

I think I use my still more than my coffee maker, to be honest. It's never stored too far away. EDIT: I have to also add it's a 50l still, and it stands more than 6 feet high. It's bigger than yours

That being said, it's not illegal to still in South Africa, so there's that. It's a talking point for lots of visits.

Be careful with that mate, sounds like you might be leaking small amounts of copper from the pipe into the spirit every time you use it. Copper is toxic and it accumulates within the body tissue. This won't give you instant problems but might give them on the long run, after a year or two... Or ten. That's the timeframe where it's almost impossible to pinpoint the reason for the problems. I'd change to stainless, wouldn't want to poison someone slowly.

Copper salts are toxic, specifically copper sulfate (which is why I don't condone the addition of copper to beers to remove sulfur notes). The green distillate he gets is copper oxide, which has been clinically proven safe to handle, actually. I get it as well, and it's because of water or other liquid standing in the coil for too long. It gets flushed out quickly though, usually still within the foreshots section of the run. By the time I get to the heads even, it's clear liquid coming off the still so there's none of the green getting into the final product.

But yes, best people know about it so they can be careful for sure.

 

[Miraculix]

I think I use my still more than my coffee maker, to be honest. It's never stored too far away. EDIT: I have to also add it's a 50l still, and it stands more than 6 feet high. It's bigger than yours

That being said, it's not illegal to still in South Africa, so there's that. It's a talking point for lots of visits.



Copper salts are toxic, specifically copper sulfate (which is why I don't condone the addition of copper to beers to remove sulfur notes). The green distillate he gets is copper oxide, which has been clinically proven safe to handle, actually. I get it as well, and it's because of water or other liquid standing in the coil for too long. It gets flushed out quickly though, usually still within the foreshots section of the run. By the time I get to the heads even, it's clear liquid coming off the still so there's none of the green getting into the final product.

But yes, best people know about it so they can be careful for sure.

I don't know... I wouldn't want to risk it if there are other materials that are safe to use.

 

[Toxxyc]

Copper is considered one of the few same materials to use with distillation. It actually draws sulphur notes from the vapour (although it's typically contained in the column and packing, if any packing is done), and not in the condenser. I hope damn well not in the condenser, to be honest.

 

[bracconiere]

Copper is toxic and it accumulates within the body tissue.

actually copper is a essential nutrient? it goes hand in hand in a preferably 1/10 ratio along with zinc....

 

[Miraculix]

actually copper is a essential nutrient? it goes hand in hand in a preferably 1/10 ratio along with zinc....

As usual this depends on the dose and on the type of the molecule it comes in. Copper is a heavy metal that accumulates in body tissue over time and can cause great damage.

 

[bracconiere]

As usual this depends on the dose and on the type of the molecule it comes in. Copper is a heavy metal that accumulates in body tissue over time and can cause great damage.

according to the usda, i need at least 1mg a day, and TUL is 10mg .... if someones copper is dissolving that much, it'd have holes in it..for a while i had to take a copper supplement....

 

[Miraculix]

according to the usda, i need at least 1mg a day, and TUL is 10mg .... if someones copper is dissolving that much, it'd have holes in it..for a while i had to take a copper supplement....

You missed that one! That would have been your chance for a doctor prescribed home made still

"What? Moonshine? Nooo.... I'm treating my copper deficiency, here, a letter from my doctor."

 

[bracconiere]

You missed that one! That would have been your chance for a doctor prescribed home made still

"What? Moonshine? Nooo.... I'm treating my copper deficiency, here, a letter from my doctor."

without my copper still mr. copper...my ass grows a clit! (yes i find without enough copper i get ass abscesses...the lessons i've learned drinking lol)

 

[Miraculix]

without my copper still mr. copper...my ass grows a clit! (yes i find without enough copper i get ass abscesses...the lessons i've learned drinking lol)

Hahahaha

Not funny!

 

[bracconiere]

Hahahaha

Not funny!

yeah, well it gets serious if not treated immediatly...then they start spewing blood once a month....

damn, now i have to scroll back to see when the OP last visted....seems they only stuck around for a week.....

 

[Miraculix]

yeah, well it gets serious if not treated immediatly...then they start spewing blood once a month....

damn, now i have to scroll back to see when the OP last visted....seems they only stuck around for a week.....

If not, you've definitely scared him away by now

 

[bracconiere]

If not, you've definitely scared him away by now

lol, scared straight!

if the death penalty for drugs in thailand wasn't bad enough....now all this! (or is that the phillipines?)